Which of the following active step(s) was/were taken by the Congress in 1823 to eradicate untouchability from India ? 1. Effort to educate and mobilize opinion among caste Hindus 2. Efforts to educate the ‘avamas’ about the evils of untouchability 3. Forcibly open the doors of temples for ‘avamas’ 4. Petition the Government to pass laws that would declare untouchability unlawful Select the correct answer using the code given below :

In 1923 (often misdated as 1823 in certain contexts), the Indian National Congress took significant steps toward the eradication of untouchability. The primary strategy involved educating and mobilizing opinion among caste Hindus to accept the 'untouchables' as part of the social fabric [1]. Additionally, efforts were made to educate the 'avarnas' (untouchables) about the evils of the practice and promote cleanliness and self-improvement. While the temple entry movement gained momentum later in the 1920s and 1930s under leaders like Gandhi and Ambedkar, the early 1920s focus was on social persuasion rather than 'forcibly' opening doors or seeking immediate government legislation [2]. The Congress initially avoided radical legal petitions to prevent offending conservative 'sanatanis' [1]. Therefore, only statements 1 and 2 represent the active steps taken during this specific early phase of the movement.

Sources

1. [1] India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Nationalism in India > 3.3 The Limits of Civil Disobedience > p. 43
2. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 8: Socio-Religious Reform Movements: General Features > Direction of Social Reform > p. 201